Drive and track assembly for flexible belt carrier



April 18, 1961 F. E. COLLETTE DRIVE AND TRACK ASSEMBLY FOR FLEXIBLE BELT CARRIER Filed April 7, 1958 E R H mm N L R M m v w T 1 E D VI O L E! 7 Pufl I 5 {W Z 5 DRIVE AND TRACK ASSEMBLY FOR FLEXIBLE I BELT CARRIER Floyd EJCollett, 713 4th St., Farmington, Minn.

Filed Apr. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 726,838

7 Claims. (c1. 211-1.s

This invention relates to flexible endless belt carriers and more particularly to a drive and track assembly therefor.

It'is an importantobject of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive endless conveyor which will utilize plain elements in novel cooperation to etficiently perform its function.

Another object of the" invention is to provide a track for an edgewise flexible belt carrier which, when utilizedwith the drive members disclosed herein, will maintain the carrier without side thrust thereagainst-for free running along both curves and straight sections. f V

It is a further object of the invention to provide a belt drive which will be interposed between the circumference of a horizontal wheel and a flexible belt carrier so as to be capable of providing not only the motivating force for the carrier, but also providing anti-slip means to insure positive driving of the carrier.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description, made'in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference charactersrefer to the same or similar parts in the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view taken from underneath my apparatus, portions of the supports being cutaway. as unessential to the view;

Figure 2 is a top viewof the apparatus;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on. the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragment of the ing the means for securing theends together;and.

flexible carrier ibeltshoww;

States Patent w I e 2 vals to receive a tie bolt 25, as shown. Expanding washers 26 are slipped into the ends of the braces 23 before they are fastened at their outer ends to the track and, upon drawing up the tie bolt 25, the braces 23 will be firmly abutted against the square tube 24. The tubular track 10 may be similarly secured to the outer ends of the braces 23 by means of a bolt 27 passing through the expanding washers 28 and through the side wall of tube 10 where a nut 29 is threadedly mounted on the end of bolt 27. An opening 30 may be formed through the tube 10 in opposed relation to each of the bolts 27 and nuts 29 thereon so that the frame assem blage may be completed with an appropriate tool inserted through the opening 30. A wheel 12 is journaled on shaft 31 secured in vertically depending relation from the framework 11 and is adapted to rotate in' a horizontal plane parallel to that of the general framework 11; The outer circumference 32 of each of the wheels 12 has a radius of curvature equal to that of its associated arcuate section 17 and underlies the slot 19 in registered relation as shown in Figsr2 and 3;

I The rim or outer circumference 32 of each of the wheels 12's grooved at 33 so .as to receive one or more of the V-belts' 34 as shown; The V-belts 34 extend inwardly and are trained about a drive pulley 35 which forms a part of the motor assembly 36 mounted on frame 11 to serve as the power drive means 16. The

V-belts 34 also lie in a horizontal plane and the drive pulley and'its associated motor 36 are positioned within the 'area'definedby the endless track 16 and is so spaced that there is no interference with the operation of the wheels 12 or the endless track 16).

An endlessfiexible belt 37 is mounted edgewise of track 10 and extends upwardly through the bottom slot 19, as shown in Fig. 3. The belt has its upper margin 38 within the tubular track 10 and is provided with roller means such as the pair of spaced rollers 39 jour- Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section takenon V the line 55 of Figure 4.'

With-continued reference to the drawing, my,apparatus is shown inits'entirety' in Fig. l, and comprises-a 7 track 10 secured to supporting framework 11in rigidly naled to the belt at spaced intervals along its full endless length. The rollers 39 lie closely parallel to the upper margin 38 of belt 37 and are adapted to ride on the track portions 40 adjacent the slot 19, as shown. Belt 37 depends from the pairs of rollers and hangs vertically through the slot 19 without touching or rubbing the sides thereof during normal usage of the ap-;-

paratus. v y

1 In order ,to maintain this precise location of the belt 37 at the arcuate bends in track 10, the intermediate hand area 41. of belt 37 bears against the V-belts 34 as they ride in .the grooves 33 at periphery 32 of-wheel 12. Other wheels 12'used at other arcuate bends of track 10 and which may not be utilized for driving purposes merely press outwardly to contact the same intermediate band 15. The power driving means is showngenerally at 16.

The track 10 is'made up of tubular sections 17 which are curved in arcuate bends and: straight portions 18 which are tangential to the arcuate bends of the curved portion 17. All of the tubular sections of track10 are provided with bottom slots 19,, as shown in Fig. 3, which form a continuous opening for the' length ofthe-endless track 10. Individual sections of track 10 may be joined andkept in alignment by" sleeve members- 20-which, of] course, are provided with slots 21 aligned with thetubu lar slots 19 so as to providev the requisite continuity of the slotted trackway. p The frame 11 comprises supports 22 which are rigidly secured to horizontal brace members 23 which, in turn,

extendoutwardly and are secured tothe-.sidesfofthe track'lO, as shown in- Fig. -2. "-Detai1s'of connections between various brace members 23 are shown, in Fig. 3.

area 41 to act asv idler wheels for maintaining belt 37 in its'precise location with respect to the bottom slot 19 as previously described. The lower margin '42 of belt 37 has a series of suspension linkages 45 flexibly interconnected at 44 and eachprovided with anupstanding connecting member .43 which terminates in a hook 46 passing through an opening 47 formed through the low-- er margin 42, as shown. The spacing of the openings 47 and the associated connecting members 45 are com-* pletely independent of the positioning and spacing of, the

i pairsi'of 'rollers- 39 at the upper edge ofbelt 37. The

I may convenientlyernploy asquare tube '24, lgngitudi f pally of the apparatus, the. latter being drilied gt igter belt 37 is -constructed from a, long continuous lengthfof flatmaterial such as phosphor-bronze and the ends 48 and 49 thereof are secured together-in overlapping relation,

as shown in Figs'..4 and 5 with means for maintaining constanttension thereon."'Each of theends and 4 9 are providedwith spaced parallel slots SO andE'each is provided with apairjof grooved abutments 51 in longitudinal ali gnrnentlwith respective slots- 5 0. Each pairof- V abutments SLmayQbe secured opposed relation belt end 48, as shown in Figs, 4 and 5. When the repective ends 48 and 49 of belt 37 are overlapped in alignment, the abutments 51 which are secured to the belt end 48 will extend through in free sliding clearance with the slots 50 formed in the belt end 49. Conversely,the abutments 51 secured to the belt end 49 will extend through the slots 5% of the belt end 48 and be in free sliding relation therewith. A pair of tension springs 52am mounted across each of the upper pairs of grooved abutments 51 and, similarly, a pair of tension springs 52' are secured across the lower groove abutment members 51, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The belt ends 48 and 49 are thus permitted longitudinal movement within the limits of the sliding movement of abutments 51 within the associated slots 5% The uppermost pairs of abutments 51, as well as their respective springs 52, are so located with respect to the upper margin 38 of flexible belt 37 that they will all lie within the tubular track when the carrier belt 37 is in operating position. The lowermost set of abutments 51 and associated grooves 50 will naturally lie completely outside the tubular track It as shown in Fig. 1.

In the use and operation of my conveyor apparatus and with the various components in position shown in Fig. 1, the motor 16 is energized so as to drive the V- belts 34 in either direction of travel. The associated grooved wheel 12 will rotate and, jointly with the V- belts 34, frictionally drive the edgewise flexible belt 37 and maintain it in proper are at the curved portions 17 of the tubular track 1%. The belt 37 thus has no lateral force against the tubular track 19 but merely remains in vertical relation therewith and in clearance with the edges of the bottom slot 19. The roller means 39 similarly have no side thrust against the tubular track 10 but merely exert a vertical reacting force on the track 10 to sustain the endless flexible belt 37 with any load applied thereto. The suspension linkages 43 are hooked and suspended directly from the lower margin 42 of belt 37 so that these members, together with any' load applied thereon, will likewise exert only Vertical downward force on the belt.

It is significant that all of the lateral force is absorbed by the outward thrust of the wheels 12 which conform to the precise curvature of the arcuate tubular track portions 17. Because the rollers 39 are parallel with the belt 37 and the belt and suspension linkages 43 are substantially in vertical alignment, no lateral force is applied against tubular track 10 nor is any counteracting lateral force required in the straight portions 18 of the tubular track 10.

Since the flexible belt 37 is continuous in nature, no special relationship need be maintained between the suspension linkages 43 and the roller means 39. It is merely necessary that the rollers 39 be placed at frequent enough intervals to insure proper support of the belt 37 and its suspended articles and that the suspension linkages are flexibly interconnected at convenient intervals not inconsistent with the rate of curvature which they must assume when traveling with the belt 37 about a curved portion 17 of track 10.

It may thus be seen that my belt conveyor utilizing the novel drive and track elements is free-running, yet very light and simple in construction; An unusually heavy loaclmay be applied to the suspension linkages despite the light weight of the entire apparatus. For ordinary circulation of suspended garments, I may use electric moan endless tube secured substantially in a horizontal plane to the supporting frame and having a longitudinal bottom slot formed continuously for the length of the tube, said tube having a plurality of arcuate bends and interconnecting tangential portions, an endless belt disposed edge-, wise with its upper margin lying continuously within said slot, roller means secured at spaced intervals along the upper margin of said belt and lying in parallel relation closely thereto and within said tube in rolling contact therewith adjacent said slot, means depending from the lower edge of said belt for suspending articles therefrom, and a plurality of horizontal wheels lying in a plane parallel to and below the plane of said endless tube and journaled in said supporting frame and each having at its circumference a rate of curvature the same as that of an arcuate bend in said tube, each of said wheels bearing oircumferentially outward against said belt below the tube whereby to maintain the belt immediately below said slot and without lateral thrust against the tube.

2. A conveyor apparatus for carrying suspended articles in an endless pathway comprising, a supporting frame, an endless tube secured substantially in a horizontal plane to the supporting frame and having a longitudinal bottom slot formed continuously for the length of the tube, said tube having a plurality of arcuate bends and interconnecting tangential portions, an endless belt disposed edgewise with the upper edge lying continuously within said slot, a plurality of spaced pairs of rollers, each pair being mounted on an axis passing through the upper margin of said belt and having a roller at each side thereof, said pairs of rollers all lying within the endless tube and in rolling contact with the inner tube area immediately adjacent each side of said slot with said belt freely depending therethrough, means depending from the lower edge of said belt for suspending articles therefrom, and a plurality of horizontal wheels lying in a plane parallel to and below the plane of said endless tube and journaled in said supporting frame and each having at its circumference a rate of curvature the same as that of an arcuate bend in said tube, each of said Wheels bearing circumferentially outward against the belt at the concave side of each arcuate portion whereby to maintain the belt immediately below said slot and without lateral thrust against the tube.

3. A conveyor apparatus carrying suspended articles in an endless pathway comprising, a supporting frame, an endless tube secured substantially in a horizontal plane to the supporting frame and having a longitudinal bottom slot formed continuously for the length of the tube, said tube having a plurality of arcuate bends and interconnecting tangential portions, an endless belt having an upper margin, an intermediate band area and alower margin, a plurality of spaced pairs of rollers, each pair bemg mounted on an axis passing through the upper margin of said beltand having a roller at each side thereof, said pairs of rollers all lying within the endless tube and in rolling contact with the inner tube area adjacent the edge side of each slot with said belt freely depending therethrough, means secured along the lower margin of said belt for suspending articles therefrom, and a plurality, of horizontal wheels lying in a plane parallel to and below the plane of said endless tube and journaled in said supporting frame and each having at its. circumference 'a rate of curvaturethe same as that of an arcuatebend in said ent 'ofthe; spacing between the roller means.

5. The structure set forth inclairn 1, and a drive pulley positioned within thespace bounded. by said endless tube-,

and a flexible drive belt interposed between the first mentioned belt and the circumference of a wheel and trained about said drive pulley whereby to provide anti-slip driving means therefor.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5, wherein the drive belt is an endless V-belt and the circumferential area of said wheel is provided with a groove for receiving the V-belt.

7. A conveyor belt drive comprising, a driving grooved I and said V-belt and lying substantially in the same plane therewith, said conveyor belt being pulled into frictional engagement with said V-belt for at least a portion of its arcuate portion trained about said driving pulley.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 409,839 Hennig Aug. 27, 1889 928,980 Kaufman et a1 July 27, 1909 2,678,718 Black May 18, 1954 2,761,549 Smith Sept. 4, 1956 2,768,733 Wilson Oct. 30, 1956 

